Over the last two decades, the cost structure of industrial automation, motion control, and robotics has improved incrementally. As hardware and peripheral costs fall and the development of easy-to-use hardware and software increases, automation applications expand.
After a brief COVID hiccup followed by supply chain issues, manufacturers are moving at warp speed, deploying automation and motion control to keep pace with demand. At the same time, driven by increased labor costs, the need for flexibility, and significantly reduced barriers to entry for automation, a new generation of automation companies and professionals is leading the trend toward simplicity.